Chaia Georgetown — Restaurant in Washington

I’ll be honest — “vegetarian taco shop” doesn’t exactly get my blood pumping. I’m a guy who has hunted wild boar, gnawed on bloody steaks, and considered pork fat one of life’s greatest pleasures. So walking into Chaia, tucked in a cozy Georgetown corner, I wasn’t expecting to walk out impressed.

But here’s the thing about food: when it’s done right, when it’s made with passion and guts and a little bit of attitude, you don’t miss the meat. And Chaia? Chaia gets it.

The tacos here are humble works of art — earthy, thoughtful, layered. The mushroom taco, with garlicky portobellos, feta, and a zing of salsa verde, is the kind of bite that makes you rethink how good vegetables can be. The creamy kale and potato taco is rich and satisfying, without hiding behind a wall of cheese or sauce. Every taco pops with texture, balance, and a sense that someone actually gives a damn in the kitchen.

The vibe is refreshingly unpretentious — airy space, clean design, people who genuinely seem happy to be there. You’re not here to be impressed by candlelight or overpriced cocktails. You’re here because you want to eat something real, something that tastes like it was dreamed up on a farm and not in a marketing meeting.

Sure, the menu’s small, and yeah, it’s not the cheapest taco you’ll find in D.C. But Chaia is doing something rare: it’s giving vegetables the spotlight without apology or gimmick. It’s a place where you bring your carnivorous friends and watch them silently nod after that first bite — the universal language of “Damn, this is good.”

Four stars because Chaia delivers on what it promises: vibrant, soulful food that makes you feel good without beating you over the head with kale evangelism. You leave full, happy, and maybe — just maybe — a little more open-minded about what...

All vegetarian and/or vegan tacos and gluten-free for my wife... I can say that I was skeptical about this place for sure. However, the tacos won me over. The three taco deal is almost too much good food and between my wife and I, we tried all the tacos on the menu. Everyone probably raves about the creamy kale and potato taco, and it was certainly good, but the Moroccan carrot taco was the closest winner for us. I would rank the next three after the carrot as the kale-potato, the garlic greens (lots of collards in this one and very good!), then the mushroom one. Got a coffee, too, and it was pretty good as they brew Vigilante there. Definitely didn't hurt that it was beautiful fall day today, so we ate outside by the river rather than staying in the very small restaurant itself. Price was eleven bucks for three tacos, but I'd've been happy with two. Three would be good if you're hungry, but for a regular meal, two was plenty. Def check this place out.

UPDATE APRIL 2024: Tacos are still excellent, though the veganism is no longer mandatory, so there are more options. The carrot one I loved before was not available, but that could just be for today as I'm sure the menu changes seasonally, if not more frequently. This time I had the usual kale/potato, a mushroom taco, and the cabbage taco. The kale potato was the clear winner this time, primarily because the salsa on it is so good. The mushroom was next best and finally the cabbage. I think the cabbage just needed a bit of texture. It was just some green cabbage that was braised, so believe the addition of some crunchy, raw red cabbage would have put it over the top, but to each their own. Still an excellent vegetarian/vegan lunch and with reasonable prices given the locale, so still...

Full disclosure - I have eaten Chaia no less than 20 times over the years and it is one of my 5 favorite small/quick bites in the DMV. So yes I am biased. DELICIOUSLY BIASED. For a vegan place, it is ridiculous how tasty the food is here. I am a carnivore, though I routinely choose Chaia over the 100s of carnivore-centric options I could go to instead because it simply TASTES. BETTER. My favorites (all 5/5s) are as follows:

1. Creamy Kale & Potato Taco - One of the best tacos I have ever had (so good that when I order the taco trio, I sometimes just order 3 of these rather than mixing and matching). The creama and salsa verde go perfectly with the kale and potato. Plus the pickled red onion on top provides a perfect sweet/sour contrast.
2. Brussels Sprouts Quesadilla - This would easily be $9-11 at a sit down restaurant, but at Chaia it is $5 and might be one of the best deals/values I can think of anywhere. Granted the quesadilla isn't big, bit it is gooey cheesiness + healthiness + delicious jalapeno dipping salsa = YAS.
3. Chips w/Tahini Black Bean Dip - Yes this is just a small bag of chips. But my goodness THAT DIP. Just try it.
4. Iced Hibiscus Tea - What are most iced teas like? Watered down. What are most hibiscus drinks like? Not strong/flavorful enough. What is this? Not watered down and max strength/flavor. MOAR.

To be completely objective, not everything at Chaia is great. I haven't been a fan of the enchiladas, several of the other tacos, or the rice and bean stand alone sides. But when you have so many incredibly delicious options (as listed above), just get these over and over and over again and be happy (over and over and...